Over 60 Club seeks new members

BELLE PLAINE — The Belle Plaine Over 60 Club is looking for people to join them. Even if those people aren’t yet 60.

“We have a potluck once a month, on a Saturday evening usually,” said Patsy Sutphin, president of the club. Right now, about 15 people attend.

Anyone over 60 can belong to the club, Sutphin said.

Sutphin has been president of the club for about six months she said. Since she’s taken office, Sutphin has extended an invitation to anyone to take part in the monthly potluck.

“We all have to eat,” Sutphin said.

Sutphin doesn’t know how long the Belle Plaine club has been meeting, but a Partners in Aging Award from the Governor’s Conference on Aging that hangs on the wall is signed by Gov. Terry Branstad and is dated May 20, 1992.

“It’s been going on for years,” Sutphin said. She’s been attending about five years.

The club meets, eats and plays Bingo, said Sutphin. “We say the Pledge of Allegiance when we start the meeting,” she said. “To me, that’s very important.”

The club recently purchased new, larger Bingo cards. “A lot of us have eye problems,” said Sutphin, and need larger print.

The group meets at the community center, and only on days when no one else has rented the space.

“We get to use the community center free,” said Sutphin, so if someone else wants to rent it that day, the Over 60s give it up.

“I have to call city hall, and they tell me the open date,” said Sutphin, but whatever date she chooses is subject to change.

She posts the dates at the community center, and Danny Fisher posts the information on several Belle Plaine Facebook pages, including Belle Plaine Iowa Sesquicentennial, Benton County News and Belle Plaine News.

“I try to get the word out, said Fisher. “It’s been slowly declining through the years. I hate to see it go.”

May, June and July are hard months to schedule because so many summer events use the community center, said Sutphin. November and December are busy months as well, she said.

Fisher is only 44, but he is quite involved with the Over 60 Club. He calls Bingo at noon at the community center, he said, and for the past three years, he’s been calling Bingo at the Over 60 potluck.

“He’s my right-hand man,” said Sutphin. Fisher helps club members bring food in from their vehicles, he sweeps, wipes tables.

“Just a regular volunteer,” said Fisher.

“It’s really just a social event,” said Sutphin. “I’m hoping to increase the attendance.”

The next potluck is scheduled for Saturday, May 24. Doors open at 4 p.m. the meeting and the dinner begin at 4:30 p.m., said Fisher.

“They can bring anything,” said Sutphin. “Even a bag of potato chips. Some people bring nothing, and that’s fine. They have to eat.”

The Over 60 Club isn’t limited to Belle Plaine residents, said Fisher. They can come from Iowa County, Poweshiek County, Tama County.

“If They want to come from Des Moines, God bless them,” Fisher said.

Sutphin and Fisher simply want to bring back socializing.

COVID encouraged people to stay home, said Fisher. People were afraid to get out and be around other people. He and Sutphin want people to enjoy being in one another’s company again.

Sutphin also wants people to know about the community meals offered at the community center on weekdays. The meals are available to anyone, but seniors receive a discount.

A menu for senior dining is available in The Hometown Current every Wednesday.